Abstract: A method for producing clusters of glucomannan that remain suspended and evenly distributed when combined with aggregate materials includes utilizing a controlled precipitation of salts from an aqueous-alcoholic solution to form crystalline binder structures that interconnect and agglomerate particles of glucomannan into discrete clusters.

Abstract: An imaging system images a sample across one or more wavelengths. A light source illuminates a sample with one or more wavelengths of light, and an image sensor detects light from the illuminated sample. A linear variable long pass filter is positioned to filter light reflected from the sample to pass to the image sensor multiple different wavelength bands having different cut-off wavelengths. Wavelengths of light on one side of the cut-off wavelength are blocked and wavelengths of light on the other side of the cut-off wavelength are passed as multiple different long pass wavelength bands for detection by the image sensor. The image sensor detects light for each of the multiple different long pass wavelength bands from the sample. Data processing circuitry converts the detected light for the multiple different long pass wavelength bands for the sample into corresponding different long pass wavelength band data sets for the sample.

Abstract: An imaging system images a sample across one or more wavelengths. A light source illuminates a sample with one or more wave-lengths of light, and an image sensor detects light from the illuminated sample. A linear variable long pass filter is positioned to filter light reflected from the sample to pass to the image sensor multiple different wave-length bands having different cut-off wavelengths. Wavelengths of light on one side of the cut-off wavelength are blocked and wavelengths of light on the other side of the cut-off wavelength are passed as multiple different long pass wavelength bands for detection by the image sensor. The image sensor detects light for each of the multiple different long pass wavelength bands from the sample. Data processing circuitry converts the detected light for the multiple different long pass wavelength bands for the sample into corresponding different long pass wavelength band data sets for the sample.

Abstract: An optical system is provided for clinical diagnostics that include methods and apparatus for rapidly detecting and characterizing rare cell objects in a biological sample. The sample is processed, loaded onto a “capture zone” in the optical system, and subjected to a two-stage optical process for very rapid detection and detailed characterization of detected cells and cell fragments. Detected rare cells and rare cell fragments are characterized with regards to biomarker profiles using fluorescent tags or chromophores. A sample is scanned in a first time period to generate a first set of image data from which marked cell objects are detected. The marked cell objects are ranked, and respective area or volume values are determined for the ranked cell objects. The respective area or volume values for the ranked cell objects are combined to generate an equivalent cell count.

Abstract: An apparatus includes a laser source configured to output laser light at a target frequency, and a measurement unit configured to measure a deviation between an actual frequency outputted by the laser source at a current period of time and the target frequency of the laser source. The apparatus includes a feedback control unit configured to, based on the measured deviation between the actual and target frequencies, control the laser source to maintain a constant frequency of laser output from the laser source so that the frequency of laser light transmitted from the laser source is adjusted to the target frequency. The feedback control unit can control the laser source to maintain a linear rate of change in the frequency of its laser light output, and compensate for characteristics of the measurement unit utilized for frequency measurement. A method is provided for performing the feedback control of the laser source.

Abstract: An apparatus includes a laser source configured to output laser light at a target frequency, and a measurement unit configured to measure a deviation between an actual frequency outputted by the laser source at a current period of time and the target frequency of the laser source. The apparatus includes a feedback control unit configured to, based on the measured deviation between the actual and target frequencies, control the laser source to maintain a constant frequency of laser output from the laser source so that the frequency of laser light transmitted from the laser source is adjusted to the target frequency. The feedback control unit can control the laser source to maintain a linear rate of change in the frequency of its laser light output, and compensate for characteristics of the measurement unit utilized for frequency measurement. A method is provided for performing the feedback control of the laser source.

Abstract: An apparatus includes a laser source configured to output laser light at a target frequency, and a measurement unit configured to measure a deviation between an actual frequency outputted by the laser source at a current period of time and the target frequency of the laser source. The apparatus includes a feedback control unit configured to, based on the measured deviation between the actual and target frequencies, control the laser source to maintain a constant frequency of laser output from the laser source so that the frequency of laser light transmitted from the laser source is adjusted to the target frequency. The feedback control unit can control the laser source to maintain a linear rate of change in the frequency of its laser light output, and compensate for characteristics of the measurement unit utilized for frequency measurement. A method is provided for performing the feedback control of the laser source.

Abstract: An apparatus includes a laser source configured to output laser light at a target frequency, and a measurement unit configured to measure a deviation between an actual frequency outputted by the laser source at a current period of time and the target frequency of the laser source. The apparatus includes a feedback control unit configured to, based on the measured deviation between the actual and target frequencies, control the laser source to maintain a constant frequency of laser output from the laser source so that the frequency of laser light transmitted from the laser source is adjusted to the target frequency. The feedback control unit can control the laser source to maintain a linear rate of change in the frequency of its laser light output, and compensate for characteristics of the measurement unit utilized for frequency measurement. A method is provided for performing the feedback control of the laser source.

Abstract: The telephone handset for the infirm includes a housing, wherein the housing has the appearance of an old-style telephone handset, internal electronics including a microphone, a speaker, wireless communication circuitry, and signal processing circuitry for processing signals received by the wireless communications circuitry to drive the speaker and for processing signals received from the microphone to transmit a signal representative of the received microphone signal wireless to one or more remote audio communication devices. The telephone handset also includes a simplified user interface which includes a predetermined number of keys less than ten, where the keys are programmed to cause the internal electronics to initiate contact with at least one specific remote audio communication device upon actuation. The telephone handset also has a multifunction user interface with at least a full numeric keypad and other keys sufficient to program the keys of the simplified user interface.

Abstract: A method for imagining and treating a body employing at least one trimetallic nitride template endohedral metallofullerene compound is disclosed. The compound has at least one diagnostic and at least one treatment atom encapsulated within a fullerene cage. The two atoms are different from each other. The compound is administered into a body, traced, and allowed to react at a targeted area of the body.

Abstract: A flexible microbend device for attachment to an optical fiber is provided. The device comprises an upper bending element grid having at least one flexible element and a lower bending element grid having at least one flexible element. The upper bending element grid alternately engages the lower bending element grid. The flexible microbend device is attached to an optical fiber to form a sensor. The sensor may be either embedded in a host material or attached to a structure to detect various stresses or strains.

Abstract: A fiber optic wall shear stress sensor is presented. The sensor comprises a floating head supported by a physical arrangement. At least one optical fiber is positioned in an operable relationship to the floating head wherein an interferometric region is formed between the floating head and each optical fiber. The interferometric region changes in response to a shear force on the floating head.

Abstract: An optical waveguide sensor having high refractive index sensitivity over a range of ambient refractive indices is provided. The sensor comprises a core having at least one long period gating disposed therein. An inner and outer cladding region, each cladding region having an effective refractive index. The total effective refractive index of the inner cladding region and the outer cladding region is approximately equal to but not greater than the effective refractive index of an environmental parameter to be sensed. These optical waveguide sensors are useful for measuring changes in a variety of environmental parameters.

Abstract: An optical sensor arrangement is provided. The arrangement comprises a light source coupled to an optical waveguide. The optical waveguide has at least one long period grating that promotes an excitation of confined propagating light into higher order modes causing an excitation of a sensing mechanism. A detector is coupled to the optical waveguide to detect a resulting optical signal.

Abstract: A single-ended long period grating optical device is presented. The single-ended optical device comprises an optical waveguide having at least one core mode and a plurality of cladding modes. At least one long period grating couples light from the core mode to the cladding modes. A reflector is positioned in an operable relationship to the long period grating, and the reflector reflects a signal. A mode stripper is positioned after the long period grating and removes the cladding modes from a transmitted signal and the reflected signal.

Abstract: An optical fiber holder is presented. The optical fiber holder comprises a tube having a longitudinal axis, a first end for receiving an optical fiber, and a recessed second end for protecting the optical fiber tip. An aperture is disposed along a length of the longitudinal axis of the tube for exposing the optical fiber to a sample. The optical fiber holder allows a sample to be tested while avoiding strain and bending influences.

Abstract: A process for preparing an optical fiber having at least one long period grating with enhanced sensitivity is provided. A length of optical fiber having a refractive index profile is provided. The optical fiber supports a core mode and cladding modes for a range of operational wavelengths. Group indices are identified for the core mode and the cladding modes for a specific wavelength wherein the group indices are equal to each other. A long period grating is written in the optical fiber. The long period grating has a grating defined by the group indices and it couples light from the core mode to a cladding mode proximate to where the group indices are equal. The optical fibers prepared by the present invention may be used for measuring an environmental perturbation where high sensitivity is required.

Abstract: An optical sensor having at least one long period grating disposed within an optical waveguide is provided. The optical waveguide has a refractive index profile. The long period grating has a plurality of index perturbations spaced apart by a periodic distance .LAMBDA.. The long period grating promotes an excitation of confined propagating broadband light into higher order modes that excite a sensing mechanism. The excitation of confined propagating broadband light is spectrally dependent on the periodic distance of the long period grating and the refractive index profile of the optical waveguide.

Abstract: An optical sensor is provided. The optical sensor comprises an optical waveguide, at least one long period grating disposed within the optical waveguide and a reactive coating positioned in an operable relationship to the long period grating wherein the reactive coating causes the long period grating to produce a wavelength transmission spectrum functionally dependent on a parameter sensed. Such sensors may be used to measure physical, electrical and chemical parameters within a single system.

Abstract: Uniformity of optical coupling of optical elements such as couplers and splitters is improved by heat treatment which causes dopants in the core of an optical fiber to diffuse into material from the cladding layer of the optical fibers from which the optical element is formed, resulting in a substantially homogeneous interior region of the star coupler or splitter. Increased lossiness of the optical element thus formed may be limited by termination of the heat treatment before dopant diffusion reaches equilibrium throughout the fibers so that a portion of the cladding layer of the fibers remains surrounding the substantially homogeneous region where the fibers have been fused together. Dopant diffusion is constrained to a substantially radial direction in each fiber by uniformity of heating over a region where at least two fibers are twisted together.